Sir Gawain: the Hero

Sir Gawain: The Hero

Sir Gawain is the fills the role of the classic archetype of the hero. Throughout the book, Sir Gawain goes through the trials and journeys that every classic hero goes through.

The hero is defined as the person who goes on the quest in order to save, restore or heal the community. That is exactly what Sir Gawain does in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Sir Gawain, the hero, first meets the Green Knight when the Green Knight goes into Camelot. The Green Knight is taunting the Kings men and says that he challenges one of Arthur’s knights to claim a weapon and cut off his head, after they cut off his head, he says he will see that knight in a year and a day. Sir Gawain is the one that steps up and cuts the Green Knights head off.

Sir Gawain’s first trial was cutting off the Green Knights head. He succeeds but once he cuts off the head, he has to wait a year and a day to go see the Green Knight. Once the time has passed, Sir Gawain goes searching for the Green Knight. Sir Gawain must leave to save the community from shame that the Green Knight threatens them with. Gawain is separated from all his familiar surroundings and goes on the journey alone, like all other classic archetype heroes.

Gawain undergoes all of the trials that the heroes are expected to go through. Sir Gawain has overcome the temptress who repeatedly tries to seduce Sir Gawain while he is staying at a castle with King Bertilak and his queen. Sir Gawain, being chivalrous, cannot be rude to the queen/temptress, or it he would not be showing what society calls “courtly love.” The queen/temptress gives Sir Gawain kisses, so whatever the queen gives him, he must give to King Bertilak, the host. Sir Gawain keeps his word, and does what he is supposed to. He delivers the kisses to King Bertilak.

Chivalry shows up many times in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. The first appearance of chivalry is when Sir Gawain takes the challenge that the Green Knight had presented to King...